YouTube is reportedly preparing to launch an audiobook service next year
Audiobooks are certainly on the up! According to the Wall Street Journal , streaming giant YouTube is reportedly preparing an audiobook service for next year, following several months of discussions with publishers. The platform has not officially confirmed anything, but the very fact that it is making headway in this area speaks volumes about its intentions: to turn an already massive user base into a monetisable… product. This is because YouTube already hosts a vast number of audiobooks in video format, some of which are in the public domain, but also titles uploaded without authorisation. Added to this are now illegal readings generated by artificial intelligence, often recognisable by their voices, which are still far too robotic. In other words, the service is already feeling the effects of a grey…